This is why I play.

I need a release in life. We all need a release(s) in life. I had a boss once say:

“You need to have a ‘life’ outside of your life.”

Even doing the things you love can get a bit excessive, which is why you need a release or a break from it all.

“Vinnie, when do you NOT work?!” – Chris Eck (Face-off, Boston Cannons)

That was a question from a friend of mine who’s talented enough to play lacrosse on the professional level. My mind has been in work mode – doing and/or thinking, and I just missed 2 weekends of my fall lacrosse league games in NYC. The games are played on Sundays – a day of rest. It’s a time for me, personally, to leave the apartment, get a workout, catch-up with friends and most of all – not talk or think about work. All that on a 110 yard lacrosse field, located on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

“Hey man, can you stick around & play goal for us?… our ‘keeper couldn’t make it today.”

My first time back after a 2-week absence and I find myself being asked to sub in goal for the games directly after mine was over. For the 4 remaining games that day, one team in each time-slot was without a goalie. I saved my best performance for MY team only and the rest just had to be glad that I said ‘yes’ and decided to stick around. After the 2nd game, I realize that the Jets game has started and I may miss it. After the 3rd game, my meager bowl of Cheerios and a cup of coffee that morning isn’t holding me up anymore. I’m shell-shocked from shots and starving! Ironically, I needed to be “released” from what is considered my release. I pack up and leave regardless of another team asking me to stay.

Equipment over my shoulder, I make my way on Houston St. towards Ave. A to the sports bar called “Nice Guy Eddie’s!”, where I find a contingent of lacrosse players, pitchers of beer, multiple plates of steaming hot wings, a giant side of cheese-fries and the Jets leading the Buffalo Bills, among other NFL games. I join in on the fun, relax and devour 2 plates of hot-wings! In my crowd of lacrosse players we talk about the dreaded thing coming up as the sun goes down – Monday. Realistically, our release is behind us.

Our Monday, consists of finance & development, advertising & marketing, art & design, pharmaceutical sales & research, IT & computer programing, among a variety of things strange and unknown to the professionals in the group. Each explains what [they] will do tomorrow. Each explains ‘the good and the bad’ about next week. We listen closely to each other while the waitress asks for any more orders. One person says: